A pregnant mum has been found murdered in her home with her unborn child taken from her womb.
April Barlow Celio, 41, was found dead at a property in Pineville, Kentucky, on September 23.
Police and the Bell County Coroner’s Office determined she had been the victim of a homicide after officers were called to the 300 block of George Martin Drive.
READ MORE: Adult model flees country after breaking sex record
But the horrifying circumstances of her death only emerged the following day when investigators learned April had been pregnant, as reported by Need To Know.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined there was no fetus in April’s womb when her body was examined.
Investigators processing the scene later recovered what police and medical examiners believed to be fetal remains.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed how April died or how the unborn baby was removed from her womb.
The investigation quickly turned to DeMarcus Kenneth Johnson-Wright, whom police have identified as a suspect.
A Bell County District Court judge issued warrants for him on September 25 on suspicion of first-degree robbery and kidnapping.
Further warrants were issued on September 30 accusing Johnson-Wright of murder involving domestic violence and tampering with physical evidence.
Police said Johnson-Wright had an extensive violent criminal history and several outstanding warrants for violent felonies in Tennessee.
Investigators then discovered he was staying at a property in Clarksville, Tennessee, more than 250 miles from the scene of April’s death.
The U.S. Marshals Service was called in to help track him down.
At around 11 pm on September 30, a team of federal, state and local officers arrested Johnson-Wright at the Clarksville property.
A search warrant was subsequently granted for the home, where investigators recovered materials relating to the case.
Johnson-Wright was booked into the Montgomery County Detention Center in Tennessee and is awaiting extradition to Kentucky.
It remains unclear what relationship, if any, Johnson-Wright had with April.
April’s family are now mourning the loss of the 41-year-old mum, who leaves behind her husband Antonio and three children.
Her obituary describes her as a loving mother and lists her surviving children as Kaden Alexander Iracheta, Alaina Sofia Celio and Nicolas Antonio Celio.
She is also survived by her parents, Michael and Teresa Barlow, sister Amanda De Paz and other relatives and friends.
April was born in Pineville on September 11, 1985.
Her funeral was held at Barbourville Funeral Home on Monday, October 5, before her body was buried at Big Jim Cemetery.
Her family has also launched a GoFundMe appeal to help support her surviving children following her death.
The fundraiser had been set up by April’s sister Amanda to help with funeral expenses and to provide support for the family.
Johnson-Wright remains in custody in Tennessee while proceedings are made to return him to Kentucky.
The investigation remains ongoing.
READ MORE: ‘Scumbag’ drenches pedestrian after ‘racing through massive puddle on purpose’
